If you've somehow missed all the hoopla, Amy Chua is the Yale Professor whose book, "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother," (which I must admit, I haven't read) chronicles her insanely strict parenting style while raising her two daughters. No sleepovers. No television. Ever. Meanwhile, Chua criticizes Americans for coddling their children; not pushing their kids to be the very best that they can be.
You can imagine the outrage. But check out David Brooks in The New York Times today for a different take. Specifically, that Chua is the one doing the coddling:
"Practicing a piece of music for four hours requires focused attention, but it is nowhere near as cognitively demanding as a sleepover with 14-year-old girls. Managing status rivalries, negotiating group dynamics, understanding social norms, navigating the distinction between self and group — these and other social tests impose cognitive demands that blow away any intense tutoring session or a class at Yale."
Cheers to Brooks for this refreshing approach to the "is she the meanest mom ever?" debate, while, in fact, applauding some aspects of Chua's work. And for calling the self-professed "Tiger" a "wimp" in his column title.
